The Dance Festival – “ali- Ai-ligang” of the Miris or Mishings of Assam

The Miris otherwise known as the Mishings are the second largest ethnic group in Assam. They have been enlisted as a scheduled tribe in the plains of Assam as the Tiwas popularly known as the Lalungs. At present they are mainly living in the riverine places of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Sibasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Golaghat and Sonitpur districts of Assam. Originally, the Miris were a hill tribe but in course of time they came down to the plains of Assam and mixed with the Assamese.

There are the paucity of sources for the reconstruction of the history of the Miris. They have no authentic written records. Their legends which are in vogue in them only speak of the coming down of their first group to the plains of Assam on the eve of the downfall of the Chutiya dynasty.

The Miris consider themselves as the descendants of the sun and the moon. They regard Polo (moon) as their father while Donyi (sun) as their mother. So they always remember them first at the time of any ceremony, business or necessity or need. The Miris are simple-hearted men. They introduce themselves as the Mishings. Their social life is very peaceful and they take delight in songs and festivals and functions. Both the Miri males and females dance and sing for the sake of pleasures.

Of the various festivals observed by the Miris with pomp and grandeur during a year according to traditional pattern mention may be made of “Ali- Ali- Ligang”. An account of this festival is given below.

“Ali-Ai-Ligang” is the most important colourful “Spring Time Festival” of the Miris which is held every year on the first Wednesday of the month of “Ginmur Polo” i.e of the Assamese month of Fagun. This festival is observed to mark the sowing of the seeds. In other words, this festival is observed to appease the mother earth and the fore-fathers of the Miris to mark the sowing of the seeds of the new seeds. The meanings of the words of the term “Ali-Ai-Ligang” mean separately as “Ali” means root, seed, “Ai” or “yai” means fruit, “Ligang” means sow. Hence “Ali-Ai-Ligang” festival means the ceremonial sowing of Paddy which starts on Wednesday.

The Mikirs observe the festival in their village publicity and continue it for five days. “Dancing and singing is the characteristic feather of this festival”. So during these five days the youn boys and girls of each house put on their traditional dresses and dance Gumrag dance using different musical instruments as drum, pipe, flute, cymbal and gong etc. Thus the whole atmosphere is surcharged with the songs of the singers and sounds of their musical instruments on the one hand and dance of the dancers on the other.

The Miris call the dance “Gumrag Pakes cha nam” which is danced in “Ali-Ai-Ligang” festival. The formal dance of the festival starts from the easternmost house of the village and in the end it extends towards the field and the river. The dance party of the festival dances encircling on the courtyard of each of the house of the villagers. However, it may be mentioned that during the festival days “dancing and feasting is held on the courtyard of the villagers and in return the host entertains the “Gumrak” dancers”.

“Ali-Ai-Ligang” festival comes to an end with “Dapan Tipan” i.e. community feast for which a vast arrangement is made. The Miris join the feast gladly and eat “Purang” along with meat and fish. Arrangement is also made for getting “Apong” in the feast.

It is needless to say that the Miris observe “Ali- Ai-Ligang” with pomp and grandeur. In case of the songs the domination of the dances is much in the festival. Basically, the festival is chiefly dance creative.

It may be mentioned that during this festival, specially on the fourth day of the festival, the Miris observe some certain taboos strictly. They are so in respect of cutting trees, catching fish, ploughing in the field, burning jungles and so on. The Miris take full rest on that day and even do not do any work at home.

The songs of “Ali-Ai-Ligang” do not remain confined to she songs of youth alone. Their subject matters or themes are vast and varied. They include the life of a man, his sufferings in life and even his death. Apart from them, the songs describe the matters of individual love and affection including joy and sorrow. In short, the songs of the festival speak of the various experiences of the Miris experienced in their day to day life, or in the life as a whole.

The last day or the concluding day of the festival is called “Lilen”. The Miris connect think of anything parting with such a festival. It is life of the society of the Miris. Above all, it is their tribe’s soul.